Deep-well pump



July 13 1926.

' s. w. WRIGHT DEEP WELL PUMP.

July 13, 1926.

G. W. WRIGHT DEEP WELL PUMP v Patented .luly 13, i926.

@lfifltf GIE-ORGE W'. "WRIGHT, OF LOS ANGELES, CALEFORIU'A.

DEEP-WELL .'E'MP.

Application led July 30, 1924. Serial No. 729,089.

This invention relates generally to pumps, and is more particularlyconcerned with socalled deep well pumps of the type used in oil andartesian wells. lt is an improvement over the pumps described in UnitedStates Letters Patent No, 1,419,436, issued to me June 13, 1922.

f Due to the abrasive action of the sand and grit usually present inVthe fluid being pumped, great difficulty is experienced in keeping pumpplungers properly packed, and once the packing brealrs down or ceases tofunction properly, pump efficiency drops rapidly.

Generally, therefore, it is among the objects of my invention to providea pump having means for keeping the plunger properly packed irrespectiveof wear, the paoliing being kept constantly under approximately uniformpressure by the action of con pression springs. There is supplyoffreserve packing which is spring-pressed into operative positionas theactive packing wears away, so the plunger only has to be withdrawn forrepacling when the reserve supply is exhausted. Y

By reason of these provisions, the necessity for withdrawing the pumpfor repacking'arises infrequently' and the pump is in condition torender eiiicient performance during the entire period between successivewithdrawals. This is in contra-distinction to usual pumps which have tobe frequently withdrawn for repacking and which func tion with' fullefiiciency only when `newly pac'lred. v

l also provide for the efficient and constant lubrication of the packingand actuating springs. `This lubrication has the usual beneficial effecton the springs and maintains the packing in the soft, pliable conditionnecessary to enable it to perform with high efficiency.

ln the structure here disclosed, the packing is carried on and movablewith the plunger rather than being held by the pump barrel, as is truein the aforementioned patent- Therefore, it is desirable when occasionarises for repaclring, that the barrel be withdrawn fromnor inserted inthe well casing with the plunger in place within the barrel, rather thanthat the plunger be withdrawn or inserted by forcing it through thetubing by means of the sucker rods. The Vsame is true when initiallyinstalling the pumps; that is, it is desirable that the plunger be inoperative position within the barrel when the latter is lowered intoplace, rather than first setting the tubing and barrel and then loweringthe plunger through the tubing by means of the sucker rods.

Ilfherefore, l have devised a novel coupling whereby the sucker rods maybe attached to and disengaged from the plunger when the latter is inposition within the barrel at the bottom of the hole.

Gther features of novelty and objects ofv the invention will be setforth in the following detailed specification, reference being had tothe accompanyingdrawings, in

which- Fig. l `is a view of a pump embodying the present invention,showing it installed in a typical well casing;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detailed sectional view of the upper portion ofthe pump;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, contracted sectional view of the central portionof the pump, being` a continuation of Fig. 2 and repeating, at its upperend, a small portion of the lowermost structure shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. a is an enlarged, contracted sectional View of' the lower portionof the pump, being a continuation of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a broken away elevatioinpartly in section, of Fig. 2 as viewedfrom 'the positionof arrow 5; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a latch making up part of my couplingmecha ism.

First, referring to Fig. 1, numeral 10 designates a well casing in whichis arranged tubing 11. Coupled at 12 to the lowermost length of thetubing, is pump 13, the plunger la of which is adapted to bereciprocated by sucker rods l5 in the usual manner.` At the lower end ofpump barrel 16 is a usual foot valve l?, while the plunger has an inletvalve 18 at its lou/er end and an outlet port 19 (Fig. 2) near its upperend.

lvVithout going further into the structure of the pump, it will bereadily understood that an upstrolre of plunger lll, as accomplished bylifting rods 15, opens foot valve 17, drawing a charge of fluid fromcasing 10 into the pump barrel betweenvalve 17 and the lower end ofplunger 14; while a down stroke of the plunger opens valve 18 to passthe barrel-contained iiuid into plunger bore laa to displace the fluidpreviously admitted to said bore; the displaced tluid passing throughport 19 into the upper chamber 18a ot the pump and thence to tubing 11.

The structure herein so tar described is more or less typical ot deepwell pumps, but I will now proceed to a description ot the meansemployed for packing the plunger in a manner to prevent the flow orleakage ot tluid between the outer peripheral tace of the plunger andthe inner peripheral tace ol the barrel, wherebyv the fluid tlow isconfined to passage through plunger bore l-lf. n this packing means liespart ot my invention.

lllhile, in its broader aspects, my invention contemplates the use ot aplunger made up ot a single length oit tubing provided with the usual*valves and my novel packing means, l have illustrated a preferredstructure wherein the plunger includes a pluralit)Y of tubular lengthsor sections coupled in end to end relation. The coupling means haveadditional unction in connection with the packing meant, as will beapparent presently. i

YWhile have illustrated ai. d will describe the plunger as including` acertain number ot tubular sections and a havingthree areas` ot packi igthroughoutits aggregate length,

it will be understood the inveutioi not limited to any particular numlerel sections or packing areas Plunger ll includes t( u1- sections ottuiling Q0, 2l, Q2- and the uppermost section 2O being provided withoutlet port 19 and cariving one element of a coiugling` El wherebyconnection is made between the plunger and sucker rod. For the presentwe will disrega d the structural ter-tures of said coupling and merel)Yspecify that, preterablv. it is in the nature ot a clutch ather than theusual screw thread connection.

Sections 20, 2l are coupled b v packingseat bushing Q5; sections 2l andQ2 pld by spring-seat collar 26: sec l 2? are coupled b v thecombination packingseat and spring-seat bushing 2T; and packing-seatbushing 2S is carried at the lower eid ot section 23 and serves lasupport valve 1S.

Now clerriug particularl)v to Fig. I, l will be observed that the outerperipheral 'lace 2t) of the upper portion $30 ot' buslr lits the innerperipheral 'tace of barrel lo with sullicient tightness to prev nt sandor other foreign matter from pr-.ssing` trom above the plunger to thepacket` area oli' the plunger` below. However, the tit between thebarrel and bushing is suiiiciicntly eas;v to allow free reciprocation otthe plunger with in the barrel. Thus. bushingserves both as a guidebearing between the plunger and barrel, and prevents the passage otforeign matter to the packing. The upper end QQ ot bushing Q5 acts as ascraper or wiper for cleaning the barrel during upstrokes ot theplunger.

The lower end 3l ot bushing 25 tapers inwardly to define a chamber 32for the reception of active packing which is of a relativelyv sott,pliable and compressible nature, it being ol' anj,Y material havingy thecharacteristics necessary to inltill the requirements.

The outer peripheral tace 3 of collar 2G lits the barrel with workingclearance and its ends 36 are ot slightlyY reduced diameter to take theends ot sleeve or tubular skirts 3T, 3S respectively; these sleevesbeing secured to the collar in suitable manner. Ytor instance bj.'screws Ot course, it lies fithin the scope ot' my broader claims tomal-:e sleeve ST integral with either collar QG or section 2l.Considering only sleeve 3T. it will be noted th; t this sleeve isannularlj.' spaced trom section 2l and xtcnds upwai'dljfv to a pointapproximatel)v opposite the lower end ol bushing rPhe outer tace of thesleeve ma): be ot' eas)v tit with barrel l0 or ma); have considerableclea ance with respect thereto.

Section 2l and slee.- 23T define an annular space O which provides areserve packing n'iber el t'or reserve packing eli/1, and a chamber-li-l. A compression spring uterposed between the two sets t5, lf3 pa igrings, these rings z n'et'crahlj, heing relatively hard and stitl'(leather, tor instance). Ring." t5 rest` on the upper ends or shouldersLi7 of collar QG. while rings all are immediately beneath reservepacking eli). Preferably, when the plunger and barrel are assembled. oilplaced within cl'iambcr l0 in order to provide constant lubrication torthe plunger. packing and springY with obvious advantage.

its the actire ijnnfkiine` 3 irved inwardlvv or cut awaj.' at lTl loproa relativi-dj.v large throatA between chamiers 32 and sil. and thatthere are no pockets n' cnuers mayv become in which the packing' lodgedor laught to prevent the proper feed t reserve i ackiug.

Spring l--l a ts, through reserve packingr to keep active packing,r $12under constant and substantiallj.' uniform pressure. and the shape ot'chamber as deiiued by bushingr 25, and the proportionate size of throatsli is such that the active pa king is held against aarrel 1G sithsubstantiallj.v unilormmpressure throughout the extent ot said packing.

Sleeve 3l' serres both ,as the outer wall otl chamber et() to hold thebody ot reserve packing' trom cont; ct with the plunger, and toestablish the ehYec-tive length of active packing chamber 32. lt isfound in actual practice that while it is desirable that the area ofcontact between barrel and packing be as large as possible, there is alimit tothe permissible extent of said area and if this limit beexceeded the packing will seize the barrel and prevent propergravitation of Vthe plunger. The limit is variable for it depends on thecondition of the individual installation.

Therefore, sleeve 37 may be cut to such length that, in a giveninstallation, a proper area of active packing is exposed to the barrel.lf desired, the sleeves may be manufactured in different lengths and, bymaking the sleeve connection interchangeable, a sleeve of proper lengthfor a given installation may be chosen and exchanged for 'the sleeveoriginally affixed to collar 26.

, lt will be observed that the upper portion 48 of bushing 27 is taperedsimilarly to portion 31 of bushing 25, and that spring 48, interposedbetween relatively hard packing rings 50 and 51 (rings 50 4contactingwith the lower ends of collar 26) and housed between section 22 andskirt 88, serves to force reserve packing 52 from chamber 53 intochamber 54 for replacing` active packing 55 as the latter wears away.

rllhe lower end 56 of packing-seat bushing 27 is formed similarly to theends of springseat collar 26,V and supports skirt-57 which definesspring chamber 58 and reserve packing chamber 59. Relatively hardpacking rings 60 are held against end 56 by spring 61, the opposite endof said spring bearing on packing rings 62 in a manner to feed reservepacking 68 into chamber 64 (the latter chamber being defined by theupper, tapered end 65 of packing-seat bushing 28) to replace activepacking 66 as the latter wears away.

Eushings 27 and 28 have portions 67 which bear against barrel 16 in amanner similar to that described in connection with portion 8G ofbushing 25. Portion 67 of bushing 28 serves also to prevent the passageof `sand and other foreign matter to packing 66 from below the plunger.

lt is desirable that plunger 14 be. installed within barrel 16 beforethe latter is lowered through casing 10, and also, when occasion arisesfor replenishing the supply of packing, that the barrel be Withdrawnwith the plunger in place therein. Therefore, l have devised a novelcoupling whereby the plunger and sucker rods may be connected anddisconnected when the plunger is in position at the bottom of the well..rlhis coupling, which l will now proceed to describe., is in the natureof a clutch, and is operable by relative longitudinal movement or theplunger and sucker rods, rather than by relative rotation therebetween,as is true in the ordinary screw-thread type of connection.

Referring particularly to Figs. 2, 5 and 6, I have shown body member 68of coupling 24 as being integral with plunger section 20, though, ofcourse, it lies within the scope of my invention to detachably connectsaid member and section. Member 68 is tubular, the bore 69 thereof beingadapted to receive the headed end 70 of sucker rod 15. Head 70 ispreferably conical, and shoulder 71 is formed between the base of thehead and neck 72, which latter is preferably of smaller diameter thanrod 15. The lower end of head 70 is adapted to bear against member 20and 78 so that down movement of rod 15 forces a like movement of plunger14. Having lost motion pivotal connection with pins 74, are latches 75(there being any desired number of such latches arranged about tube 68)said pins being supported by tube 68, and said lat-ches being adapted toswing vertically on said pins through slots 76 which open to bore 69. Y

A sleeve 77 is longitudinally slidable'on tube 68 (relative rotationbetween the sleeve and tube being limited by the pin and slot connection7 8) and a spring 7 9, interposed between shoulder 8O onthe tube 68 fand shoulder 81 on sleeve 77, tends to keep said sleeve at its upperlimit o1 movement over tube 68, said limit being established by the pinand slot connection 78. Sleeve 77 is slotted at 82 to allow the swing oflatch 7 5 therethrough, and a sleeve-carried spring 88 is adapted toyieldably urge or bias the latch towards rod 15 in such a manner thatlatch shoulder 84 engages rod shoulder 71, whereby upward movement ofrod 15 causes like movement of plunger 14.

llVith sleeve 77 l t its upper limit of movement over tube 68, there isno operative engagement between said sleeve and latch 75 except for theco-action of spring 88 with said latch, and therefore, when the suckerrods are stroked, plunger 14 is operated iu the usual manner.

However, when occasion arises for withdrawing the sucker rods, said rodsare lifted higher than the normal stroke limit until the upper end ofsleeve 77 engages shoulder 85' which projects inwardly from barrel 16.rllhis shoulder may be conveniently provided by the lower end ofcoupling 12, as shown in lEig. 2. lt will be observed that the lower endof sleeve 77 is tapered at 86 and that latch 7 5 has ears or lugsr 87enten-ding beyond each side of slot 82, the under sides of said lugsbeing tapered complementarily to end 86. rlherefore, when the upwardmovement of sleeve 77 is checked by engagement of shoulder 85 and thesleeve top, continued upward movement of rod 15 carries latch 75 (andplunger 14) upwardly against the action of spring 79, drawing lugs 87over sleeve taper 86 and thus swinging latch 7 5 in a clockwisedirection, as viewed in Fig. 2,

llO

against the action of spring 83. Thus, latch shoulder 84 is disengagedfrom rod shoulder 7l and the rod, being thus treed `trom the plunger',may be withdrawn 'from the well without withdrawing the plunger' Yfromthe barrel.

Assuming that the plunger' has subsequently dropped sutiiciently toallow spring 'T9 to slide s eeve T3 alongl tube 68 and thus free taperS6 from lugs ST, upon re-inserting rods l5 within tubing li, head T0engages and swings latch T5 outwardly, and when the head is subsequentlyseated at the bottom of bore (39, spring S3 acts to return the latchinto operative engagement with the rod.

It will be understood that various changes in design, arrangement andstructure, may be made without departing from the spirit and scope oi myclaims, and therefore, I do not wish to be limited to the illustratedand described embodiment of my invention except for such limitations asa fair interpretation of the appended claims may import.

Having described a preferred iorin or' my invention, I claim:

l. In a. pump of the character described embodying a barrel and atubular plunger therein, the plunger being annularly spaced from thebarrel,` packing means between the plunger and barrel, said meansincluding a bushing secured to the plunger and having a portion adaptedto peripherally the barrel, said bushing having an annular shoulderadapted to define one end of a chamber annularly defined by the plungerand barrel. a body ot relatively sott packing within the chamber, aspring within the chamber and movable. vwith the plunger', andrelatively hard packing' between the soft packing and the spring; saidspring being adapted to move the hard packing towards said annularshoulder and thereby place the sott packing under compression.

2. In a pump of the character described embodying a barrel and a tubularplunger therein, the plunger being annularly spaced from the barrel,packing means between the plunger and barrel, said means including abushing secured to the plunger and having a portion adapted toperipherally engage the barrel, said bushing having an annular shoulderadapted to define one end of a chamber annularly delined by the plungerand barrel, active packing within the chamber, a collar on the plungerand longitudinally spaced from said bushing, a sleeve extending lrom thecollar towards said annular shoulder, said sleeve being annularly spacedfrom the plunger, reserve packing within a chamber annularly defined bythe sleeve and plunger, said chambers being in communication, a springon the plunger and seated at one end on said collar, the other end ofthe spring extending towards said reserve packing, and a ring ot hardpacking interposed between the reserve packing and said other end of thespring, all in a manner whereby the spring is adapted to t'eed thereserve packing into the lirst named chamber to replace active packingworn away by the plunger.

In a pump of the character described embodying a barrel and a tubularplunger therein made up of tubular sections arranged end to end, theplunger being annu larly spaced from the barrel, packing means betweenthe plunger and barrel, said means including a bushing secured to theplunger and having a portion adapted to peripheraly engage the barrel,said bushing having an annular shoulder adapted to define one end or" achamber annularly defined by the plunger and barrel, active packingwithin the chamber, a collar on the plunger and longitudinally spacedfrom said bushing, said collar being screw-threadedly connected with twoot said tubular sections at their meeting' ends and thereby securingsaid tubuar sections together, a sleeve extending tre-m the collartowards said annular shoulder, said sleeve being annularly spaced fromthe plunger, reserve packing within a chamber annui-arly defined by thesleeve and plunger, said chambers being in communication, a spring onthe phinger and seated atl one ena on said collar, the other end ol thespring extending towards said reserve packing, and a ring ol hardpacking interposed between the reserve packing and said other end of thespring. all in a manner` whereby the spring is adapted to feed thereserve packing into the lirst named chamber to replace active packingworn away by the plunger.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I hare hereunto subscribed my namethis 22d day ot July 1924.

GEORGE lV. I'YRIGHT.

lili.)

